Gethsemane Gospel Church (Buffalo, NY) graciously sponsored a well, which has been delayed from completion multiple times over this past year. The series of setbacks have been frustrating to say the least.

When we could finally get the well driller to start our well, he had to drill far deeper than planned to get sufficient water supply. In addition to the added expense caused by the depth, this deeper than normal well also requires an electric pump and solar power supply which had to be engineered and then constructed.

This will be the first well of this kind for CFM, equipped with a solar pump, and a 3000 gal H2O cistern to fill during the day when there is power so that people can get water during the day and at night when the pump is off. The pump will produce approx 6000 gallons of water per day !

After the engineering was finished and we were ready to begin work, the country plagued by unrest and demonstrations held up construction efforts for several months.

Before we could begin construction of the structure, the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic occurred sending the well drillers (Missionary Family) back to the US for health safety reasons. They were home for several months before returning to Haiti to wrap remaining projects so they could repatriate. His family had exceeded their time commitment as missionaries, but were staying in Haiti until their adoption of a Haitian child was approved. This finally got approved during the pandemic and they are anxious to be home in the US.

Before he could purchase the materials, an historic currency rate change happened without warning causing the funds we sent to be significantly undervalued. The well driller suggested we wait till the US currency value went up again to purchase materials. With limited time remaining and no sign of a currency correction, we directed him to complete the well structure ASAP.  

The enemy seeks to discourage in unprecedented ways, but CFM remains steadfast knowing this well will bring desperately needed water to this dry region where we have built some homes partnering with “Blocks for Haiti”. Water is life in Haiti.

Please pray for this project completion to glorify God and bring relief to a desperate community.

Condolences go out to Board Member Jennie Kennell on the recent loss of her Father. 🙏

Thank you for your continued prayers and financial support. We are committed to being wise with the gifts you entrust us with as we serve the Lord doing His work in Haiti.

Blessings, 
Merv (for CFM Board)

Congratulations to CFM Board Member Skyler Koehn and wife Mary Rose on the safe arrival of his first child, a daughter. Mabel Grace Koehn weighed in at  7 lbs 14 oz and was 21”. Mother and baby are doing fine.

We are still awaiting a reply from the golf course on a possible re-schedule of our Golf Tournament that was postponed due to Covid closures. We’ll keep you posted on that status.

Dear Friends,

The government has not yet lifted the travel ✈️  ban implemented due to Covid 19 😷.  We are not rushing travel that is not deemed safe. When the ban is finally lifted, work teams have committed to build a couple planned houses. We are hoping that can still happen in October or November. Please pray for the situation to improve allowing these desperately needed homes to be built.  

In the mean time CFM has continued to send funds to aid families attending our churches with food and sanitization products to help them thru the added difficulties brought on by the economic effects of Covid. As previously mentioned, food and supply prices have soared while avail work for income has slowed to a crawl. The continued devaluation of the Haitian currency is making it even harder for them to survive on the minimal income some are able to find. A search on the internet showed the currency exchange rate reached an all time high in August at 112 gourdes to $1 USD compared to the recent average of 70-$1, already considered high.

Our Pastor Occius is still recovering from his prior hospitalization for Covid. Please Continue to pray for his full recovery. 🙏

We have maintained our teachers in the hopes of our schools re-opening. We are actively discussing what changes might be necessary to provide a safe environment for the children to learn. The picture below shows a teacher signing our roster for her pay.

This young man left a lasting impression on me on our Mission Trip to Haiti building a house for a Haitian family. We did not know that he was in such rapid decline due to his long battle with Cancer but he offered no complaints. He worked hard on the trip and maintained an amazing attitude. I was blessed to have some personal conversations with him during this trip. He was such an inspiration to be around ! So many people miss Tony Colton.

It should come as no surprise that the Covid 19 pandemic affecting the US and the rest of the world has not ignored Haiti.

When you think it can’t get worse for Haiti’s struggle the Pandemic comes along and the results are devastating. Folks with so little resources find existing food prices soar, virtually non-existent health care strained with a virus that takes significant resources to combat that they don’t have, and limited employment opportunity is made worse by stay at home orders... all combined exacerbating their plethora of problems.

Our Pastor Occius requested food and cleaning supplies for church members who were fast becoming desperate.

CFM had sent money for several food distributions at the churches as well as money for bleach and other disinfectants forsanitizing church buiildings and homes and soap for hand washing.

Occius has recently been so ill he was hospitalized for 11 days. We do not yet know what his diagnosis was... we can only guess at this point based on symptoms we suspect Covid 19. We are so thankful for his release today and for the humanitarian funds some of you have donated that paid for his medical care. Occius is beyond thankful as well.

Below are some pics of the food/supply distribution and some sanitizing efforts.

Dear CFM supporters, 

I regret to inform you that the CFM Christian Fellowship Mission Golf Tournament is cancelled for May 2nd.  

I was notified yesterday by the Golf Club that they could not host us on May 2nd due to the current situation and social distancing restrictions.  They are trying to reschedule events and we have requested an October date.  We will notify all of you when we have confirmed a new date for the golf tournament.  Sponsors and teams may contact us to be reimbursed for donations already sent to us.  

Mark Kennell
Board President 
Christian Fellowship Mission
941-376-1542

Known to CFM as Papa Charles, (Erius Antou) Charles was born in 1937 in Haiti’s rural mountain farm
village known as Au Cadet. He was raised by his parents in a family of 10 children, with 6 brothers and
3 sisters. His family farmed to make their living. Papa did not have the opportunity to attend school, but
he did learn to read. He moved to Port au Prince in 1946 in search of a better life and opportunities. He
married a girl from the Dominican Republic named Ermancia Arristil Pierre (a.k.a…Mama Charles) and
they had 8 children. Papa was a caretaker for the property we purchased to operate as our Mission House.
CFM continued his employment as caretaker of the property his whole life. Papa was a devout believer
and as far as we know he started preaching the Gospel for CFM in our PAP church on Delmas around
1974. Papa was trained in masonry and was very good doing concrete work. I remember when I first met
him, he was not a young man, but he would mix concrete for plaster or to pour floors in our buildings all
by hand on the ground. He would run that shovel all day and out work many of the younger guys. He was
an endearing quiet man. He loved to engage me in English vs Creole word sessions. I enjoyed our early
morning and end of days chats on the Mission House porch. He loved when I would bring him coffee…
“much sugar and crème please… merci”. He was so grateful for the gifts of food, shaving razors, clothes,
shoes and ball caps. He was an honest man that could be trusted. Papa and Mama were married for 45
years prior to her passing. They taught their children to serve the Lord. His daughters all participate in
the work of the church and a couple of them help CFM with Mission teams when we go to Haiti. He was
also a good mentor to his sons Occius (pastor) and Claude (building engineer/contractor) who also offer
their gifts and talents to work with CFM. His grandsons stayed with him to assist in his later years when
his health began to fail. Papa Charles passed from this life in May of 2019 and went to live with his Savior
to whom he was faithful for so many years. We will miss his physical presence, his contagious smile and
laughter, popcorn or coffee on the porch, and visiting about life in Haiti. Thank you Papa Charles for your
lifetime of faithful service to the Lord thru CFM.

Christian Fellowship Mission Fundraiser Concert

Featuring The Inspirations and John Schmid

Date: January 17th, 2020
Times: 1pm John Schmid, 2pm Inspirations/ 6pm John Schmid, 7pm Inspirations

Offering will be taken with proceeds going to mission work in Haiti.

Reserved seating will be held for sponsors until 20 minutes before the Concert

Location: Sarasota Community Church
4041 Bahia Vista Street, Sarasota, FL 34232

For additional information contact: Mark Kennell, Jr. 941-376-1542